I think that meets Chicago's reported asking price for McCabe with no retention so I can’t realistically say we reject the offer but I would probably prefer to retain half and get a first from somewhere.

If Tampa is a trading partner, I'd rather target Haydn Fleury - although he's 2 years old, he has comparable size to Foote (6'-3", 208 vs. 6'-4", 227) but is a much better skater (important in Granato's system), with more experience and ability to play a two-way game with some shutdown ability. His cap hit is also negligible at $762K for this and next season. While Foote as a RHD may have some appeal (especially if Ryan Johnson is signed on LHD and the Sabres potentially look at that duo for a 3rd pairing in the future), Fleury being left-handed as a replacement of Bryson with Lyubushkin also works for the present.

Bryson is an interesting option for Tampa. He is cost controlled for next year as well, and a RFA at the end of his contract. Can he play the right side or is he more comfortable on his right? dont know if Buffalo would be willing to take someone like Namestnikov back to make the cap work

I can't see retention being the difference in getting a first with McCabe.

Not with the Sabers more than likely but other teams absolutely.

Idk…. seems unlikely to me

3 years of playoff runs with Jake McCabe at 2 million? For the record 1st round picks have been thrown away on players like Ben Chiarot as rentals.

Nice post
That all makes sense
Tough to say what Tampa might be willing to give up though

There’s other LD available out there though
How many do u think are gonna get a 1st?
Bc every team in here that has a decent LD has all their fans thinking they’ll get one
That obviously won’t happen

If there’s a big market for LD’s then Chicago just have to make a McCabe deal that much sweeter. Add a bit of retention, take a bad contract back, add a nice depth player or depth round pick etc. I’m indifferent to what circumstances won’t help the hawks get a first for McCabe, rather I want to know what we have to do to get one so they can make it happen.

Dealing Fleury's cap hit won't help Tampa's financial issues - I wonder if it makes more sense (which Adams has attested he's willing to do, given their cap surplus at the moment) if the Sabres could land Fleury as the "sweetener" for taking on a cap dump like Kilhorn (pending UFA with $4.45M left this season) or even Seabrook's LTIR deal ($6.875M) that has another year left on it after this one. Neither will impact Buffalo's cap before the eventual extensions for Dahlin and Power come into play. Fleury would be an upgrade over Bryson (losing only 1 year age difference in the exchange but gaining another year of contract term) and at same time provides insurance at the 3LHD for next season alongside Lyubushkin in case Johnson isn't signed.

Say a 2023 4th rounder for Fleury and Seabrook. Sabres can then consider dealing Bryson for a comparable 4th or 5th to a team needing defensive depth.

I like McCabe, always have
And I’d like to have him back
But i just don’t know that he’s talented enough to get you a 1st, no matter what you reasonably do

Just bc you want a 1st, doesn’t mean there’s teams out there that’ll give one- guess we’ll see though

Maybe
It all seems reasonable, but Tampa are experts at finding the path of least resistance for themselves

And they usually hang on tight to cheap young players,
bc they know they’ll need them

But it’s certainly worth Adams making the call to see

It's always seems tricky when considering a player going back to a team he previously played for - especially someone like McCabe who is only 2 years removed from being in Buffalo. I question how much he'd embrace being traded back there even if he has no trade protection and what kind of attitude he might have. He was reportedly close to Eichel and probably didn't like how that whole saga played out and he also knows Adams and Granato from his time in Buffalo so he may not hop on the good vibe train like a player with no experience in Buffalo might. There's also the matter of McCabe most likely thinking he's deserving of top 4 minutes (which he used to have in Buffalo and has in Chicago) but the reality is that, as a LHD, he'd be envisioned for 3rd pairing minutes if Buffalo brought him back.

We’ll that’s the glass half empty view,
now try the glass half full one….

Please show me the last TB defenseman that small . You have to go back to the 11/12 season.
He was inherited from prior ownership. This management doesn't do little defensemen. Bryson is a really small dude.

Don't think Timo can sign for 8yrs right of the bat, think he has to wait a year from trade date to go 8yrs. Could be wrong. I would do that trade.

Killorn is the furthest thing from a cap dump. the only "cap dump" is Namestnikov and even then its a stretch.

Seattle won't go for this, they have zero incentive to swap one of their more underrated defensemen in Borgen for someone who plays the same position but is older and performing worse.

If you cant beat them, offer your 8th best prospect and some other stuff for an elite winger

So any team that offers the Sharks a first and a second is just offering other stuff then? Ostlund was the 16th overall Pick and Portillo is one of the best goalies in college hockey. You act like they are guys who just picked up sticks for the first time.

I can understand your/Chicago's aspect of wanting to retain to get a 1st, but as others have pointed out, retention isn't really an issue for Buffalo. I don't think they move their 1st unless it is for Meier or Chychrun.

That is all really good insight. I saw a few weeks ago Lightening fans were basically trying to give away Foote. I figured Buffalo, specifically Granato, being able to get the most out of young guys with good pedigrees, Foote was a perfect reclamation project. However, Fleury is certainly an interesting idea. I like that a lot.

I agree Buffalo wouldn’t move a first, but if another team did I easily take that offer over whatever Buffalo offers (barring a first )

I certainly wouldn't blame you or Chicago for doing that, especially with this draft class. I was a big McCabe fan when he was here, he was just always glued to Ristolainen or pushed too far up the lineup only because the Sabres didn't have anyone else.

It'll be interesting to see how Chicago handles the next stage of their franchise, especially if Toews and Kane don't want to get traded or sign extensions.